Jet propulsion apparatus for watercrafts



June 16, 1964 R. PERRIER ETAL 3,137,266

JET PROPULSION APPARATUS FOR WATERCRAFTS Filed Oct. 10, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 1 1964 R. PERRIER ETAL JET PROPULSION APPARATUS FOR WATERCRAFTS Filed OOL. 10, 196].

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 wot June 16, 1964 R PERRlER ETAL 3,137,266

JET PROPULSION APPARATUS FOR WATERCRAFTS Filed Oct. 10 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,137,266 JET PROPULSION APPARATUS FOR WATERCRAFTS Robert Perrier, 83bis Blvd. Soult, and Jean Cornbard, 3 Blvd. Malesherbes, both of Paris, France Filed Oct. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 144,081 Claims priority, application France Nov. 29, 1960 9 Claims. (Cl. 115-12) The present invention relates to a jet propulsion apparatus for watercraft, particularly for river navigation.

The apparatus is of the type comprising a pumping set which sucks the surrounding water'used as a driving fluid and delivers a jet stream through nozzle members: one of the objects of the invention is to solve in a particularly simple way the problems of the steering or the reverse movement of the boat.

7 The apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that it'comprises, on the one hand, two nozzle members for forward propulsion located at the rear of the craft, symmetrically positioned with respect to its longitudinal axis and directed towards the rear, each nozzle member being provided with a discharge control device to secure the direction and, on the other hand, a nozzle member for astern propulsion of the boat; this nozzle, being directed toward the bow and located below the bottom of the boat, and a distributor disposed on the delivery conduit of the pump and arranged to feed only two nozzle members for the forward propulsion, or to feed simultaneously the nozzle members for forward and back- I for the forward propulsion is individually controlled, the

craft equipped with the apparatus according to the invention offers the manoeuvring qualities of a twin-screw steamer without its mechanical complications. In addition, with the use of nozzle members having an individually adjustable discharge for the direction of the boat, its building can be greatly simplified owing to the fact that the rudder is suppressed, a highly satisfactory direction control being nevertheless secured at all running operations, simplifying the manoeuvring of the boat when it is carried by the stream.

The suppression of the screws and of the rudder allows also the stern of the boat to be given a very advantageous shape from the hydrodynamic point of view, particularly concerning the trail characteristics. At the same time, the suppression of the members projecting out of the hull reduces the danger resulting from the low-lying ground, water weed and other impediments.

Finally, the lack of any mechanical transmission between the propelling-set (engine, pump) and the propulsion members (nozzle members) increases the reliability of the propulsion plant and leaves great freedom to determine the position of the propelling-set. In addition, the

apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that it includes two suction openings provided in the hull, one laterally, connected with the pump by a transverse pipe disposed in the direction of the axis of the pump,

' and the other in the bottom of the hull, connected with the transverse suction pipe by a substantially vertical pipe, a three-way gate formed, for instance, by a pivoting clackvalve with two seats disposed at the inlet of the two suction pipes and controlled from the piloting post by a gear 'ice tion, respectively, the organs intended to control the discharge of the nozzle members for the forward running.

FIGURES 4, 5, 6, illustrate in elevation and axial cross section the retractable control device for the backing, in three distinct positions. g

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the whoe apparatus and shows the suction circuit of the pump.

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal cross section through the side suction opening.

FIGURE 9 shows a cross section by the plane containing the axes of the two suction pipes.

As shown in the drawing, the apparatus according to the invention comprises a propelling set constituted by a motor 1 driving a pump 2 which sucks up the surrounding water and forces it under pressure in a delivery conduit 3. This conduit 3, parallel to the axis of the boat 4, opens in the-middle of a transverse piping 5 which is bent at its ends to form twodischarge nozzle members 6, 6', arranged at the rear of the boat, positioned symmetrically with respect to its longitudinal axis and securing the forward propulsion, the speed of which is controlled by the regulation of the working conditions of the motor-pump set 1-2. I

As above mentioned, the direction of the boat is controlled by the regulation of the flow of water discharged through the nozzle members 6, 6', as each of these can be progressively closed up to the complete stopping of the discharge while the other remains fully opened, There fore, each nozzle member (FIGURES l, 2, 3) is provided with a valve in the shape of a butterfly valve or a shutter, 7, constituted by a disk mounted to turn about a vertical axis in the nozzle member 6 and provided with a return spring 18 to bring it back to its opening position. A plate 9, keyed on the same axis 8, outside the nozzle, bears upon its edge a dogv 10. Upon the axis 8 is also freely mounted a cam 11, constituted by a disk upon the periphery of which is provided a notch in the shape of a segment extending over 90, in which is engaged the finger 10. Thereby the dog 10 is actuated by the edge of the notch 12 at the rotation of the cam 11. In the normal position of full opening of the nozzle members (FIG- URE 1), when the shutters 7 are in vertical planes along the axis of their nozzle members, the two notches 12, 12', of the two cams 11, 11, are respectively placed to the right and to the left of these planes while the dogs 10, 10, are in contact with the edge of the notch located on the transverse diameter. The two cams are linked by a connecting bar 13 articulated on arms 14, 14', integral with the earns: the cams are controlled by meansof a steering wheel 15 located at the piloting post and through a gear 16 actuating an arm 17 integral with the cam 11.

When the steering wheel 15 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the cam 11 of the right nozzle member 6 rotates trary occurs when the steering wheel is turned in a counter-clockwise direction.

The speed change of the boat is obtained by discharging toward the front the water under pressure delivered by the pump 2. Therefore the propulsion plant is provided with a device which forms simultaneously a distributor and a rearward propelling nozzle: this device which is mounted on the transverse piping 5 at the connection with the discharge pipe 3 of the jump is constituted by a vertical cylindrical slide valve.

The connection is obtained by means of a vertical cylinder 19, the open lower end of which opens in an opening the discharge pipe 3 of the pump. At its lower part, the

slide 20, 21, has an opening 24 also directed towards the bow of the boat;

When the slide is in its upper position, illustrated in FIGURE 4, the lower opening 24is closed and all the water in the pipe 3 is directed through the side openings 22 toward the collector S and the nozzle members 6, corresponding to the forward propulsion.

In the mean position illustrated in FIGURE 5, the forced water is divided between the nozzle members 6, 6', for the forward propulsion and the opening 24 acting as a nozzle member for the rearward propulsion, thereby allowing the forward jets and the rearward jet to be balanced and the craft to be stopped.

In the position illustrated in FlGURE 6, only a slight overlapping remains between the side openings 22 and the collector 5 and the whole quantity of water in the pipe 3 is delivered through the nozzle member 24, thereby securing the reverse propulsion of the boat, whereas the small quantity of water under pressure arriving in the nozzle members 6, 6', is intended to secure the direction of the'boat by the relativecontrol of the output of these two nozzles.

The slide is controlled from the piloting post by 'means of a speed changing lever actuating a transmission which comprises a system of rods 26 and a connecting rod 27 connected by a crank 28 to a transverse shaft 29 which bears a crank 39 pivoted on the slide.

As shown in FIGURES 7 and 9 the suction pipe 31 of the pipe Sis engaged in a T-shaped member, the substantially vertical part 33 of which opens at the bottom of the member (FIGURE 8) is longitudinallyelongated and presents, to facilitate the introduction of the water in the suction pipe, a wall 39 having a smaller slope on the side corresponding to the advancingpropulsion of the boat.

In the T-shapedmember 32 are provided two shoulders 4i), 41, surrounding the suction pipes 33 and 36, respectively, and forming a seat for a clack-valve 42, pivoted at 43, to open at will either one of the suction pipes 33 or 36; This clack-valve 42 is controlled from the piloting post, by means of a steering similar to the steering controlling the distributor 19-20 (FIGURE 2) but not shown.

The lower suction opening 34 is used in normal working operations while the side suction opening 37 is specially used when the water is not very deep, on sandy or muddy bottoms or in zones strewn with wreckage, to reduce the quantity of foreign matter sucked by the pump and also when the boat is to be moored or beached.

What is claimed is: p v 1. A jet propulsion plant for watercraft, comprising a -motor-purnp set, a suction pipe arranged to open at one end in the surrounding water and connected to the pump a pipe of the pump, a distributor arranged on said discharge pipe and comprising means to connect the pump only with the two jet nozzle members for forward propulsion, and means to connect the pump simultaneously with the two nozzle members for forward propulsion and with the 4i nozzle member for backward propulsion, means arranged on each of the two nozzle members for forward propulsion to individually adjust the flow of water discharged therethrough, a single control mechanism for said adjusting means arranged to actuate said adjusting means in opposite directions on both'nozzle members respectively. 2. A jet propulsion plant'for watercraft comprising a motor-pump set, a suction pipe arranged to open at one end in the surrounding water and connected to the pump 'at its other end to suck water, a discharge pipe connected to the pump, two jet nozzle members for forward propulsion, said nozzle members located at the rear of the craft and symmetrically positioned with respect to its longitudinal axis, a jet nozzle member for backward propulsion, means to connect said nozzle members with the discharge pipe of the pump, a a distributor arranged on said discharge pipeandcomprising means to connect the pump only with the two jet nozzle members for forward propulsion and means to connect the pumpsimultaneously with the two nozzle members for forward propulsion and with the nozzle member for backward propulsion, means arranged on each of the two nozzle members for forward propulsion to individually adjust the flow of water discharged therethrough, a single control mechanism for said adjusting means arranged to actuate said adjusting means in opposite directions on both nozzle members respectively, said adjustment means being arranged to be indi vidually actuated by said control for each direction of operation thereof, respectively.

3. A jet propulsion plant forwatercraft, comprising a motor-pump set, a suction pipe arranged to open at one end in the surrounding water and connected to the pump at its other end to suck water, a discharge pipe connected to the pump, two jet nozzle members for forward propulsion, said nozzle members located at the rear of the craft and symmetrically positioned with respect to its longitudinal axis, a jet nozzlemember for backward propulsion, means to connect said nozzle members with the dischargepipe of the pump, a distributor arranged on said discharge pipe and comprising means to connect the pump only with the two jet nozzle members for forward propulsion, and means to connect said pump simultaneously with the two nozzle members for forward propulsion and with the nozzle member for backward propulsion, a shutter rotatably arranged in each jet nozzle member for forward propulsion to control the flow of water discharged therethrough, a camto control the rotation of said each shutter, 21 hand-wheel,a transmission actuated by said wheel and connected with the two cams controlling the two shutters respectively, said cam and said transmission being arranged to gradually close the shutter of one nozzle member when the hand wheel is rotated in the corresponding direction from a mean position corresponding to the full opening of the two shutters.

4. A jet propulsion plant for watercraft, comprising a motor-pump set, a suction pipe arranged to open at one end in the surrounding water and connected to the pump at its other end and to suck water, a discharge pipe connected to the pump, two jet nozzle members for forward propulsion, said nozzle members situated at the rear of the craft and symmetrically positioned with respect to its longitudinal axis, ajet nozzle member for backward propulsion, means to connect said nozzle members with the discharge pipe of the pump, a distributor arranged on said discharge pipe and comprising means to connect the pump only with the two jet nozzle members for forward propulsion, and means to connect the pump simultaneously with the two nozzle members for forward propulsion and with the nozzle member for backward propulsion, a shutter pivotally arranged in each said nozzle for forward propulsion, a spindle supporting said shutter and extending outside the nozzle member, a circular plate secured to said spindle, and a dog supported bysaid plate, a cam forming plate freely rotating on said spindle and having at its periphery a segment shaped notch engaged and operatively connected to one of said cam plates.

5. A jet propulsion plant for watercraft, having a hull provided with a bow part, a stern part and a bottom part immersed in the water, said plant comprising a motorpump set, an opening in said hull communicating with the surrounding water, a suction pipe to connectsaid opening to the inlet of the pump, a discharge pipe connected to the outlet of the pump andarranged in the median plane of the hull, a transverse piping having its median part connected to said discharge pipe and its ends bent rearwardly to form two jet nozzle members for forward propulsion, said jet nozzle members symmetrically positioned on either side of said median plane, two openings provided in the stern part of the hull and forming the outlets of said nozzle respectively, an opening provided in the bottom part of the hull, a vertical pipe to connect said ward propulsion, whereas the side openings in said inner chamber are so arranged that in said lower position of the cylinder, a communication having a small cross-section is maintained between said chamber and the forward propulsion nozzles through the transverse piping.

7. A jet propulsion plant according to claim 4, wherein the motor-pump set is arranged with its axis transversely located with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hull, a first suction opening communicating with the surrounding water being provided in the lateral wall of the hull, and a transverse suction pipe being arranged to connect said suction opening to the inlet pipe, whereas a second suction opening is provided in the bottom part of the hull, a pipe'being provided to connect said second suction opening to said transverse suction pipe, a three-way valve provided to connect at will one of said suction openings with the inlet of the pump.

opening'to the middle of said transverse piping, a jet a nozzle for backward propulsion provided at the lower end of said vertical pipe anddirected toward the bow of the hull, a distributor arranged in the middle of said transverse piping to connect the discharge pipe of the pump, in one position, only with the two jet nozzle members for forward propulsion, and in the other positions, simultaneously with the forward propulsion nozzles and with the backward propulsion nozzle member, means arranged on each of the two nozzle members for forward propulsion to individually adjust the flow of water discharged therethrough, a single control mechanism for said adjusting means arranged to actuate said adjusting means in opposite directions on both nozzle members respectively.

6. A jet propulsion plant according to claim 4, wherein the distributor comprises a cylinder arranged to slide vertically in the vertical piping connecting the middle of the transverse piping to the opening provided in the bottom of the hull, a chamber provided inside said cylinder, ,an elongated opening provided in said cylinder at the front of said cylinder to bring said chamber into communication with the discharge pipe in all the positions of the cylinder, two side openings provided in said cylinder to register with the section of the transverse piping in the upper position of said cylinder, whereby the discharge pipe is connected to the forward propulsion nozzles through the inner chamber of said movable cylinder, asecond opening provided at the front of said cylinder in the bottom of said chamber to connect said chamber with the surrounding Water in the lower position of the cylinder, said second opening forming the jet nozzle member for back- 8. A jet propulsion plant according to claim '4, wherein the motor-pump set is arranged with its axis transversely located with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hull, a first suction opening communicating with the surrounding water being provided in the lateral wall of the hull, and a transverse suction pipe being arranged to connect said suction opening to the inlet pipe, whereas a second suction opening is provided in the bottom part of the hull, a pipe being provided to connect said second suction opening to said transverse suction pipe, said connection comprising a T-shaped tubular member, two valve seats provided inside said T-shaped member, and a shutter pivotally arranged with said member to cooperate with said valve seats to connect at will one of the suction openings 7 with the inlet of the pump.

9. A jet propulsion plant according to claim 4, wherein the motor-pump set is arranged with its axis transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hull, a funnel shaped member being mounted in the side Wall of the hull and forming a first suction opening, said funnel shaped member having an elongated form and a wall having a feeble slope in its front part corresponding to the direction of forward propulsion, a sheltering grid fixed on said funnel, a transverse section pipe being arranged to connect said suction opening to the inlet pipe, whereas a second suction opening is provided in the bottom part of the hull, a pipe being provided to connect said second suction opening to said transverse suction pipe, and a three-way valve provided to connect at will one of said suction openings with the inlet of the pump.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,237,674 Moiseeif Aug. 21, 1917 2,024,274 Campini Dec. 17, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,583 Great Britain June 10, 1865 

1. A JET PROPULSION PLANT FOR WATERCRAFT, COMPRISING A MOTOR-PUMP SET, A SUCTION PIPE ARRANGED TO OPEN AT ONE END IN THE SURROUNDING WATER AND CONNECTED TO THE PUMP AT ITS OTHER END TO SUCK WATER, A DISCHARGE PIPE CONNECTED TO THE PUMP, TWO JET NOZZLE MEMBERS FOR FORWARD PROPULSION, SAID NOZZLE MEMBERS LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE CRAFT AND SYMMETRICALLY POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A JET NOZZLE MEMBER FOR BACKWARD PROPULSION, MEANS TO CONNECT SAID NOZZLE MEMBERS WITH THE DISCHARGE PIPE OF THE PUMP, A DISTRIBUTOR ARRANGED ON SAID DISCHARGE PIPE AND COMPRISING MEANS TO CONNECT THE PUMP ONLY WITH THE TWO JET NOZZLE MEMBERS FOR FORWARD PROPULSION, AND MEANS TO CONNECT THE PUMP SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE TWO NOZZLE MEMBERS FOR FORWARD PROPULSION AND WITH THE NOZZLE MEMBERS FOR BACKWARD PROPULSION, MEANS ARRANGED ON EACH OF THE TWO NOZZLE MEMBERS FOR FORWARD PROPULSION TO INDIVIDUALLY ADJUST THE FLOW OF WATER DISCHARGED THERETHROUGH, A SINGLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR SAID ADJUSTING MEANS ARRANGED TO ACTUATE SAID ADJUSTING MEANS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS ON BOTH NOZZLE MEMBERS RESPECTIVELY. 